A STUDY OF THE HOLY SPIRIT (Part Four)

By Bob Myhan

hen John prophesied that One coming after him would baptize in the Holy Spirit and in fire, He was marking the beginning and the end of the messianic age. It was to begin with the baptism in the Holy Spirit and end with the baptism in fire. It is not necessary to conclude that all would be baptized in both the Holy Spirit and fire. Some would be baptized in the Holy Spirit at the beginning and some would be baptized in fire at the end.

On the day He ascended into heaven, Jesus repeated the promise to the apostles, telling them that it would be fulfilled “not many days from now” (Acts 1:1-9).

Sometime during the next ten days, Matthias was chosen to replace Judas (see Acts 1:15-26). The addition of Matthias to the eleven remaining apostles brought their number back to twelve. Then,

When the Day of Pentecost had fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. And suddenly there came a sound from heaven, as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting (Acts 2:1-2).

This was not a rushing mighty wind. It was “a sound from heaven, as of a rushing mighty wind.” That's what it sounded like! This sound filled the entire house in which they were sitting. Thus, they were baptized or immersed in [overwhelmed by] this sound. Since they were told that they would be baptized in the Holy Spirit “not many days from” the day of the ascension and they were engulfed in “a sound from heaven” “not many days from” that day, then this “sound from heaven” must have been an audible, miraculous manifestation of the Holy Spirit.

It is widely held that all 120 disciples of Acts 1:15 were baptized with the Holy Spirit on the Day of Pentecost. However,

(1) Those who were baptized with the Holy Spirit spoke with other tongues (Acts 2:2-4)

(2) Those who spoke in tongues were accused of being “full of new wine,” or drunk (Acts 2:12-13)

(3) Peter defended no one but himself and the other apostles against this charge (Acts 2:14-15)

Therefore,

(1) Only the apostles were accused of being “full of new wine”

(2) Only the apostles were speaking in tongues

(3) Only the apostles were baptized in the Holy Spirit on the Day of Pentecost

The results of Holy Spirit baptism on the Day of Pentecost confirm this.

Then those who gladly received his word were baptized; and that day about three thousand souls were added to them. And they continued steadfastly in the apostles' doctrine and fellowship, in the breaking of bread, and in prayers. (Acts 2:41-42)

Then fear came upon every soul, and many wonders and signs were done through the apostles. (Acts 2:43)

And with great power the apostles gave witness to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus. And great grace was upon them all. (Acts 4:33)

These and other passages clearly reveal that the apostles possessed unique powers [“the signs of an apostle” (2 Cor. 12:12)]. Among other things, they had “all truth” revealed to them by the Holy Spirit (see John 16:12-13) and they could lay their hands on other persons to communicate miraculous power to them (Acts 8:14-19; 19:1-6; 2 Tim. 1:6). Indeed, there is no record of anyone but apostles doing miracles after Pentecost until Acts 6:8.

“And Stephen, full of faith and power, did great wonders and signs among the people.”

When and how did Stephen obtain this power? He must have received it when the apostles laid their hands on him and six others to set them apart for the work of ministering unto the Grecian widows who had been neglected in the daily care (Acts 6:1-6). Philip, one of the other six, could heal the sick and cast out demons after having apostolic hands laid on him (Acts 8:5-13) but could not impart this ability to others. Peter and John were sent to Samaria for this purpose (Acts 8:14-19).

[To be continued]

BAPTIZED BUT NOT CONVERTED

By Fred Shewmaker

ears ago in a home Bible study, the couple with whom we were studying complained that the words I was using were too big. Being somewhat inexperienced in home Bible studies, I was surprised by their complaint. The words about which they were complaining were all words found in the Bible. I offered to try to explain any word I had used which they did not understand. One of the words they asked me to define was conversion.

That very week the local newspaper had reported the construction of a sea-water conversion facility to begin near San Diego, California. I asked if they had read that article. They had. They understood the facility was to remove the impurities from the sea-water entering it and produce pure water. Working from this understanding, I pointed out that the facility was called a conversion facility because it converted impure water into pure water. Returning to biblical usage of the word, we noted that conversion involves the removal of the impurities of sin in one's life thereby leaving that one's life pure in the sight of God.

By comparing the parallel between Acts 2:38 - "Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins,..." and Acts 3:19 - "Repent therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out,..." it is easy to see that by means of baptism God removes the impurities of sin from one's life and converts a sinner into a saint.

Experience and observation have forced me to the conclusion that a good many people who are baptized are not converted. Certainly this is not God's fault. He has not lost His power to convert through baptism. It is not the fault of Christ. His blood has not lost its strength to cleanse the sinner. The fault cannot be laid on the preacher who has preached the truth. The fault lies with the one baptized, but not converted.

The reasons why some who are baptized are not converted are many and varied. We wish to examine a few of these reasons.

The reason some are baptized, but not converted is their desire to please men rather than to obey God. Children have requested baptism in order to please their parents and parents have sometimes been baptized in order to please their children. Husbands sometimes, desiring to please their wives, request baptism and wives are sometimes baptized to please their husbands. Boy friends have been baptized to please a girl friend and girl friends have been baptized to please a boy friend. In some communities where the church is large in numbers merchants have been baptized to please their customers. This list could be continued, but it already is long enough to make the point. Those who have been baptized for such reasons have been baptized, but not converted.

One day my telephone rang and when I answered it, a sister asked me to baptize her neighbor. I was acquainted with her neighbor and this request caused me to wonder if she was really being converted. I agreed to baptize her upon her confession of faith in Jesus as the Son of God. As it turned out, after her baptism, my fears were confirmed. She had merely been convinced that only immersion is baptism. She had not conceded her false religion to accept immersion. Her false religion allowed sprinkling, pouring or immersion; but did not practice immersion. Some of the preachers of that persuasion refuse to administer immersion. She simply did not bother a preacher of her false religion with her desire to be immersed. When the sister was kind enough to volunteer my services, she was glad to accept. She was baptized, but not converted.

A few years back my wife and I engaged in a rather lengthy home Bible study with a lady. She had a quick mind and was able to see and express biblical truths quite easily. Because we desired that she understand what the Bible teaches about the uniqueness of the church, we made an extensive study of Ephesians 1:22 & 23; 4:4-6 & 12; showing that the church is the body of Christ ("His body") that "there is one body" and that the "one body" has only "one faith." During the study she indicated that she understood these things. We expected such a willing and capable student to desire to be baptized and true to our expectations, when asked the question Ananias asked Saul of Tarsus, she was ready to be baptized. With joy and great expectations, I baptized her. My expectations were short-lived. She never attended another service of the church. When we asked her about this, she then informed us that she did not accept the teaching that God only approves of one church. She had been baptized, but not converted. & [Via Bible Matters]